Birds chirping. Windows open. Sun shining. The first day of Spring is here! 🌼 🌱
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If the weather will cooperate, is yet to be seen. .
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Warm up and celebrate the first day of Spring with some of my favorite moves that have you “spring”ing off the floor. 🌷
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See what I did there?
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. ✏️Do each exercise for 30 -60 seconds. Rest for two minutes and repeat 2 -3 times!
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. ▪️Wide to narrow squat ▪️One leg skip ▪️Skater jumps ▪️Sauté

Conditioning class at @hathawayballet had a BOSU class! I love throwing something new at them, getting them out of their comfort zones.
This exercise goes from parallel lunge to a parallel passé, and then from parallel lunge to turned out passé. 📌The second variation works on holding turnout for a turn - and most people tense up their lower backs and release their front ribs as they go into the balance. Take arms to en haute to work on rib control!
I LOVE this exercise! And they make it look much easier than it is. 😁🙌🙌♥️ #balletconditioning#bosu#crosstrainingfordancers#bodiesinmotion#balletwhisperer#dancerlife

Real quick tutorial “how not to be an insta-hoe” 😉
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Kidding... sorta.
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I see Rear Foot Elevated (RFE) squats appear on my IG feed almost daily.
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Their benefits are celebrated from the heavens: glute builders, quad toners, and stability stars. 🍑
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All of these properties are factual, when this exercise is performed *correctly*. 🔥
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Here’s what I see on the ‘gram: someone sets up with their back foot flexed so they’re using the back foot for assistance in standing up.
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The front foot is too far away, causing the back to sway (ouch!) and front heel to pop up (putting extra stress on the knee, ouch!). #
There’s also zero core engagement in this positions so forget about growing your abs or using a heavy weight, you’ll likely just struggle to stand up. 🤦‍♀️
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Alright, so I give you a sassy look and fix all those things.
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✨The CORRECT SET UP: ✨
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Foot pointed. I can lift my toes off the box at the top of this squat, there’s so little pressure on the foot. It’s just working as a kick-stand, if you will.
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My front foot moves closer in.
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This way I can keep my whole foot on the floor and safely track my knees over my toes.
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My back is flat and my ribs are closed (abs engaged). This changes the angle of my back knee, as I squat down it heads towards the floor and I actually lengthen that back quad and hip flexor— thus making this exercise an active stretch as well.
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Finally, because my abs are working and I’m stabilized, I’m able to slowwww dowwwwn and really focus on the front glute.
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After filming this I grabbed the barbell and did 8 per side for 4 sets.
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You may want to start body weight, 1 DB against your chest(goblet), 2 dumbbells, THEN try a bar when your ready for the added challenge.
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Give’er a try. Xox Am
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#crosstrainingfordancers#dancerswholift#kettlebellworkout#quotesaboutlife#dancerwholifts#rfe#rfesplitsquat#squat#squatbooty#workout#form#formcorrection#fixitfast#abs#fit#fitchick

Did you know this classic stretch could be so beneficial for more than just leaps and flexibility? 👏
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When your dancers sit all day their backs can get tight which can pull on the hip flexors and create pain and stiffness there too! ✔️Remind your dancers to keep their belly pulled in, and square their shoulders to the front instead of rounding them toward the floor.

What's that one thing your coach or teacher is always reminding you to fix?
Straight knees, spot, lift from behind, sharper, cleaner.....😩 I have an exercise for that. 🙋
Two ways to register for this Thursday's class:
My #instatribe REGISTER WITH THE LINK IN MY BIO ↖️
Facebook People: REGISTER WITH THE LINK IN OUR EVENT PAGE↗️

One of my favorite ways to use the jump board - side-lying! I do several exercises in this position but here are two of my favorites - I filmed the sequence from the end of the machine and then the side for a different view.
1️⃣ Jogging while side-lying. It's quite unnerving for most people the first few times! I love it as a way to train your plié landing in a different position to gravity.
2️⃣ Making rainbows with your top foot! It's quite the glute medius workout. The client will feel like they're doing a ronde de jambe back and forth. 📌 I use one red spring- going too heavy makes it difficult to control the landing. I find a red spring gives them time to articulate the feet, as well as to find the landing without slamming toes.
📌 Make sure hips are stacked evenly in side-lying, and they don't move.
📌 Be on hand to guide the foot in the rainbows initially - this open chain is disconcerting and people don't know where they are in space. Help avoid crunching toes on the board or bar! 😁
📌 Notice my standing leg in the rainbows- parallel, with no heel rebound! I'm quite proud of that as it took me years 😂😂 That's important for the dancers to aim for.
Any side-lying favorites of yours on the jump board?
#pilates#pilatesjumpboard#pilatesfordancers#crosstrainingfordancers#bodiesinmotion#balletwhisperer

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I hate auditions.
With a passion. 😟
I get nervous, insecure and afraid of embarrassing myself in front of important people. Without them though, I would have never grown as a dancer, created my career and met my life long friends.
Auditions are scary and uncomfortable, but they’re also an incredible opportunity to see what you’re made of.
As you head into audition season, I want to help you nail your audition with the 5 steps below.
1. Set Your Goals
2. Train for Your Goals
3. Eat For Success
4. Recovery
5. Attitude ▪️Read the Full Blog Post at Facebook.com/dancerfitnesssocial
#danceaudition#auditionprep

I'M SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY!!! This video shows my skepticism for my abilities to successfully land this jump again... it's been over a year now since my hernia surgery, & going into that surgery, I thought with my athletic background, I'd bounce right back after a few months. Oh my was I in for that not being my reality! But through this journey back to recovery, I've been learning SOOOOoo much about myself, & that patience, listening to my body, & self love are things I have in the past neglected. With help from my amazing & supportive boyfriend, family, & friends, I've progressively added load that made sense for me, gave myself a time of REST that was so necessary mentally, spiritually, & obviously physically. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The progressive progress of my journey to my new normal began with sitting up, standing, & walking without assistance (haha soooo humbling but so thankful for this), increasing range of motion/mobility, attempting body weight to light weight exercises, building core strength, and trial & error of a simple jog, skip, hop... eventually hoping to JUMP again. But pain was too much. It wasn’t safe. I have always loved plyometrics & jumping technique as a figure skater & that's one of my favorite types of workouts. Through this time, I would try to hop, & then be in pain for days. So TIME has been key. Listening and being patient. I keep saying that haha but it's something so important to learn as an athlete. I can't stress it enough. Because NOW, LOOK! I did it! I am jumping! ON THE ICE!!! WHAT?!? I wasn't sure this would be possible without pain for at least another year & honestly have avoided skating because of it. But last week, I had a dream about skating, was sitting in church & everything reminded me of skating, and then friends asking about skating... I was like ok I get it! I'll see if I can do it again. So I went the next day. You can just see in this video (*SOUND ON) the reluctance & then the emotion after I surprised myself that I could actually do this. WOW. Moral of the story: DON’T GIVE UP. ✨🙏🏼 push through, be patient, & be grateful for the process. I’ve grown so much as a person through this. 🥰🙏🏼✨cheers😘

WHY YOUR DANCERS NEED OFF SEASON TRAINING 👏 ▪️Performing a routine is anything but consistent for your body, your breathing or your heart rate. ▪️There are periods of “rest” where you can fill your lungs and there are huge bursts of energy when performing skills, transitions or moving from standing to elaborate floor work. ▪️That’s why circuit training is a great addition to your dancer’s off season cross training schedule. ▪️Endurance is one of those “use it or lose it” type of things so training in the off season to increase endurance is only going to make getting through difficult routines so much easier
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🔎Not sure where to start? Search our new OFF SEASON TRAINING PLANS at http://www.dancer-fitness.com
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Next up in the #turnout series...
How to measure turn out. A healthcare provider that specializes in treating dancers can help you determine your passive turnout versus your active turn out. This can help you learn if you have more turn out that you aren’t utilizing because of muscular restrictions or lack of strength.

Next up in the #turnout series...
How to measure turn out. A healthcare provider that specializes in treating dancers can help you determine your passive turnout versus your active turn out. This can help you learn if you have more turn out that you aren’t utilizing because of muscular restrictions or lack of strength.

🔥unilateral workout 🔥
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The effects of unilateral exercises are very different than bilateral movements. They may not be as efficient overall in terms of total observed power output (you can probably squat more with two legs can with one), but they do yield exclusive benefits that will help improve your athleticism should not be neglected.
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It’s pretty important to note that athleticism is a concept that encompasses not just power, strength, and speed, but also agility. Unilateral (single-leg, single-arm) training will make you more athletic because of the recruitment patterns and mechanisms at play.
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Another great benefit of unilateral training is that it can help to correct musculoskeletal defects. Most dancers, trainees, and athletes develop injuries or deficits on one side of their bodies (one knee, one shoulder, one hip, etc.). #
Dance in particular, places a greater strain on one side of the body due to the use of the dominant hand or leg to battlements, pirouettes, or jumping. The regular use of the dominant side can lead to greater development of strength on that side, as well as a higher risk of injury or strain.
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Unilateral training can help to correct for that use. Not only will single-arm or single-leg training increase the strength on the weak side, but it can correct the posture and form of the dominant side. Equal strengthening on both sides of the body can lead to better bilateral force generation.
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Okay, enough science. Here’s the workout.
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🔥 Primer: pendulum lunge. The leg never stops moving. Stay low and push evening from the front and back. X10/side
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🔥 overhead unilateral lunge: with the same arm in the air as leg that is lunging, close your ribs and travel across the gym floor. This is working shoulder stability, core, quads, and coordination. 3x 5/side
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🔥 1/4 TGU: you know I love the turkish get up. By just focusing on the bottom 1/4th of the movement (as opposed to standing all the way up) you can really emphasize core and shoulder stability. 3x 5/side
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Have fun! Xox Am
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#crosstrainingfordancers#dancerswholift#kettlebellworkout#quotesaboutlife#transformation#kb#bellsforbells#dance#dancer#nycdancer

Day 12 Swan. Isha showing us the Swan ballerina style! Swan Dive would be the next progression. Look at that beautiful spinal extension! You should see her arabesque! We love this intelligent young lady. She has been training in Pilates AND Gyrotonic at UBSJ for over two years now. That’s right, both modalities consistently. You can see how much it has added to her craft as a young ballerina, and she continues to grow and thrive both on stage and off. A stunning and healthy dancer. We are proud of you, Isha. Your work ethic and dedication to your art is remarkable, and your kind soul makes teaching you such a joy. You have a bright future in dance and we can’t wait to see where you end up one day! #marchmatness2019#crosstrainingfordancers#pilates#dancer#ballerina

I’m going to tell you a secret... not everyone on the internet is honest 😱
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Even worse, not everyone is EDUCATED. 😱😱 #
That girl selling skinny teas, fat-burning coffee, a 4 week program that promises overnight results, she may honestly believe in what she’s saying; hell, it may have even worked for her, but at the end of the day it’s hard to find reliable, scientific information online.
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So, who do you trust?
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Better question, here’s who NOT to trust: •that girl who invites you “be your own boss” by selling her tea 😬
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•anyone who only posts pictures in one very specific pose and promises if you buy their product you TOO will look like this (hint: you probably won’t). -
• Any guru who claims that have “the secret” 🤔 it’s not a secret, eat in a caloric deficit and move your body. •
• Anyone who makes you pay for their information? “What are macros?” “Sigh up for coaching and I’ll tell you!” Bitchhhh whaaaa??? 😂 No thanks, I have google. •
• Anyone who isn’t ACTIVELY still learning themselves. If they think they know everything I guarantee you, they know very little. •
ANYONE SQUATTING ON A BOSU BALL CAN GTFO 😡😂
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Ask your favorite fitness people/ pages about their credentials. Who is THEIR coach? Do they have a degree or certification? Do they real world, hands on experience (besides just training themself)? Do they have true, honest testimonials; the people they work with WANT to talk about them? •
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We are SO lucky to live in the era of technology, there is more information readily available right this second then there has ever been in human history. There’s also more misinformation than ever before. 😕
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Okay, end rant. Love you, thank you for trusting me.
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#crosstrainingfordancers#dancerswholift#kettlebellworkout#quotesaboutlife#transformation#coach#coaching#life

This movement is a staple in all of my classes and training plans! ▪️ For an added bonus, lift one leg off the floor. ▪️When using both feet, be sure to keep your whole foot on the floor and don't open the knees as you squeeze at the top.

Day 11 of #marchmatness2019 brings us the saw. A challenging exercise with many health benefits 😍 I love incorporating @flexistretcher to ensure that the twist is coming from the spine and ribcage instead of the arms. -
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Need a flexistretcher? Use my link in bio and code ELAENEE at checkout for 10% off! Need a private lesson? DM to schedule with me - skype lessons also available.

Day 11 of #marchmatness2019 brings us the saw. A challenging exercise with many health benefits 😍 I love incorporating @flexistretcher to ensure that the twist is coming from the spine and ribcage instead of the arms. -
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Need a flexistretcher? Use my link in bio and code ELAENEE at checkout for 10% off! Need a private lesson? DM to schedule with me - skype lessons also available.